'The Young Will Overcome' slaps and pounds and rock and rolls this record off to a fantastic beginning. It seems this particular field of punky rock ‘n’ roll is filling up as of late with some very welcome and strong releases and judging by some of the fantastic records I've had the pleasure of over recent months The Knockouts have a lot to live up to if they want to grab a piece of the action - but the album opener is as strong as anything (albeit slightly rockabilly) I've heard in a long while never mind this year!

'Days Long Gone' hurtles out of the speakers with a confidence and energy that tells me everything I need to know about this record and that is it's going to compete and there's a strength in the outstanding playing and songwriting that places this Scandinavian three piece right at the top of the pack.

Sure it's roots are in quiff flicking rockabilly but there's more going on than meets the eye as 'Sweet Bluebird Valley' has a stonking snorting guitar sound that slashes and tears at your ears as it compliments a great melody over some cotton picking licks - fine, fine tune!

Stripped back and kicking back 'The Ballad Of Rosa Lee' could show the likes of Mike Ness how to do deliver this cowpunk thang - Johan Frandsen is one talented songwriter that’s for sure. I think the overall sound has been helped set this record apart because Stefan Boman has given the production an edge that The Hives, Backyard Babies and Hellacopters most certainly have or had. The tunes are infectious and full of life with a big fat sound and razor sharp punk rock edge and this only add to the appeal of this very impressive record.

'Salvation Song' is uplifting and fresh and not having heard the band since 'Among The Vultures' I'm impressed as to how much better this record is overall, not that I didn't like the band’s debut album it's just great to hear a band actually mature and improve with each new record.

'Hometown Grounds' sounds like Rancid might of they had a rockabilly edge and lightened up a bit for just three minutes and as a result you have a really, really strong tune indeed.

In fact this is getting to the point where the more I play this record the better it gets, and the variety in the different songs is simply superb, yet however varying the songs they remain very firmly within the band’s identity, be it the old school slap of the title track, the harder rockin' 'End Of Roddy Rhodes', the twanging 'The Way Til The End' with it's rowdy guitar picking, or the laid back rock 'n' groove of 'Pennies And Quarters'.

‘5000 Miles From Louisville’ is a marvellous album regardless of whether you like a bit of cowpunk or rebel yelling, this really is an outstanding rock 'n' roll record by anyone's standard, and I'd advise you to check it out NOW! It's loud (and quiet), its catchy as hell and well produced, and contains twelve songs of real quality.